RALEIGH, N.C. – The Virginia men’s and women’s track and field teams closed out a thrilling final day of competition at the ACC Outdoor Track & Field Championships that featured a pair of gold medal finishes on the women’s side while the men contended for the team title up to the final event. The men’s team tied for third place with 89.5 points while the women placed fifth with 76.5 points.
Gold in the 4×100 meters:
The Cavalier women’s 4×100 meters kicked things with an injection of momentum into both teams as a team of Kayla Bonnick, Jada Seaman, Jada Pierre and Sarah Akpan threw down a time of 43.71 seconds to win gold and set a Virginia record in the process.
- The Cavalier women came into the meet with the fastest seed time in the field at 44.24
- Their gold-medal performance tops a school record which Bonnick and Seaman helped set back in 2021
- The title is Virginia’s first in the women’s 4×100 meters since 1995
Appleton and Seeland Crowd the Podium:
Momentum from the women’s 4×100 meters followed quickly as Margot Appleton and Esther Seeland took to the track in the 1500 meters after each looked threatening in the qualifiers on Thursday.
- Margot Appleton won her first ACC title in the 1500 meters leading the way for Virginia with her time of 4:14.58.
- Appleton becomes the second Cavalier woman to win a 1500-meter title under head coach Vin Lananna, and the second in three seasons as she joins Michaela Meyer who won gold in 2021
- Esther Seeland followed in third place clocking 4:16.82. Seeland earns first-team All-ACC status for the second time in her first season at Virginia after winning silver in the 800 meters at the ACC Indoor Championships in February
Silver in the Discus:
- Ashley Anumba scored first-team All-ACC honors for the second-consecutive season winning silver in the discus.
- Anumba launched a throw of 58.50 meters (191’11”) on her very first attempt of the competition which was enough to clinch the silver
- She was bested only by Caisa Marie Lindorfs of Florida State who threw a meet and facility record of 60.80 meters (199’6”)
Sherman Wins Bronze in the 400 Hurdles:
Alex Sherman and Emily Alexandru each scored points for Virginia as Sherman delivered in a big spot for Virginia.
- The sophomore turned on the jets in the 400 hurdles and blazed to a third place finish as he threw down a huge personal-best running 51.09
- The time moves Sherman up the Virginia all-time list into the fourth position and earns…